Craigslist is the world’s largest online community forum, averaging 50 billion page views per month. The company has an estimated value of $3 billion. Its founder, Craig Newmark, has donated over $100 million to philanthropic causes.

How did he do it? Here are five lessons from Craig.

Talk To People

Craigslist started as an email distribution to a small list from Craig’s personal network. Within six months, word of mouth led to rapid growth. Throughout his career, Craig leveraged people as a key driver to success. His network even suggested the name Craigslist.

Then, he took this idea an important step further.

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Ask For Feedback

Craig Newmark frequently asks people, “How could I do better?”. Top performing companies understand the importance of feedback that highlights both their weaknesses and strengths. From there, remember to actually do something about what you hear.

Improvement through feedback won’t work if you don’t apply this next bit of sage advice.

Yeah Write

Be Patient

Success in any arena is slow and gradual. This is a point of view that a majority of founders and CEOs share. Small action steps taken consistently over time lead to greater long-term success.

All the patience in the world won’t make you successful without this next valuable asset.

The Parent Cue

Offer Real Value

To maximize the success of any business, the most compelling metric is customer value. Craigslist takes pride in providing a simple and fast way for people to get stuff done. Having a clear purpose is the foundation of any successful business.

Bearing all that in mind, the last tip will set you up for long-term success.

Strat Pricing

Know Your Limitations

No one is good at everything. Find people who are doing good work in the areas you find the most challenging. Then, get out of the way to let them do their job. Having a diverse team with multiple perspectives leads to a greater impact than going at it alone.